Name
Ernest Harding
1882
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/04/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
40631
South Wales Borderers
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WANCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY
IV. D. 14.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Chipperfield Village Memorial, St Paul's Church Memorial, Chipperfield, Not on the Watford memorials
Pre War
Ernest Harding was born in 1882, in Watford, Hertfordshire, son of Ephraim James Harding and Sarah Ann (nee Palmer) Harding. One of 12 children two died in infancy.
1891 Census records Ernest aged 8, at school, living with his parents and six siblings in, Bucks Hill, Herts.
1901 Census records Ernest, aged 19, working as a Coachman, living with his parents, and seven siblings in Bucks Hill, Herts.
His mother Sarah Ann Harding, died in late 1907, aged 53. His father remarried in 1909, in Watford, Herts, to Rosina Hudson.
Ernest married Ida Elizabeth Kemp the daughter of George and Ellen Kemp, of Chipperfield, in late 1910.
1911 Census records Ernest and Ida living with his widowed mother in-law, Ellen Kemp in, The Common, Chipperfield, Herts. He was employed as a Farm Labourer.
Officially recorded as born in Watford and enlisted in Bedford.
Wartime Service
Ernest enlisted at, Watford, Herts, posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment with the service number 30903, later transferred to the South Wales Borderers with the service number 40631.
Seeing service on the Western Front, he was Killed in Action on 14 April 1917, aged 35. Possible at the First Battle of the Scarpe (9 – 14 April 1917).
Additional Information
His widow Ida Elizabeth Harding received a widow’s pension of 18/9 a week from 5 November 1917, and his effects of £1-12s-11d, Pay Owing and a War Gratuity of £3.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
